Long time, no chat!
It has been a while since I have last updated you all. Lots of things have been going on in my life. Let me tell you all about it.
Back in October, I used the last of my vacation time to go on retreat. It was more fruitful than I could have ever imagined. For those of you who don´t know, this was a religios retreat in CT. I spent a week completely in silence with about 20 other women living in a dorm style wing of a priory (house for priests). Our days were very regimented, filled from 6am-9pm with mass, prayers, conferences, meditation, meals and consultations with priests. I learned a lot about myself, my faith and my current duties in life. There were times when the silence was easy to maintain and other times when all I wanted to do is run through the halls making noise like a little kid. It was set on the most gorgeous country side property I have been on - a massive priory/chapel, large church, 7000 square foot garden, grassy lawn as far as the eyes could see and a quiet river to top it off. It was an exhausting week but I came out of it more focus on the correct priorities in life than I have ever been before.
About 30 minutes after my plane arrived back in Chicago, my dad´s plane landed. He joined me in Chicago for the next two nights, touring my life in the suburbs and downtown. The night he arrived, we went out to dinner with P. I enjoyed that they both could meet each other in person because it allowed them each to see a different side of me: my past versus my present. They each were able to see through a bigger window into my life to gain a more comprehensive view of who I am. Following church on Sunday (the next day), we met up with J´s father, Mr. C, as he was visiting from Korea for an expo at which his company was presenting. My dad, P, and Mr. C enjoyed each other´s company over some classic Chicago dishes for several hours. It was FANTASTIC to see Mr. C again! He played such a big role in the success of my trip to Korea the other year that I was excited to show him part of my country and my family. My father and I then spent the rest of the evening meandering through the Loop in downtown Chicago, hitting up popular sights like Willis Tower(formerly, Sears Tower), Grant Park, The Bean, etc. We topped off the evening with my dad´s Christmas present from me: dinner at a famous Chicago steakhouse. Wow, I clearly never had steak before in my life. Delicious!
The following day, my body told me that it had too much excitement for one week and I began to get the annual-almost-in-the-hospital-upper-respiratory-infection. Thanks to google, I stumbled upon a doctor in my area that takes this kind of thing very seriously, particularly those who have asthma. Aka, ME! Had she not put my on the highly aggressive regimen of steriods, I am sure I would have been in the hospital. Thankfully, I was healthy again within the next week or so!
Work has been going very well. I am very much enjoying being on the low rungs of management. For the time being, I do not aspire to climb too high. I have other goals in mind, like returning to college, that I want to accomplish first.
Speaking of which, I am registered at a local college, the only in the state of Illinois that offers a Health Care Interpreting program for Spanish speakers. I register for classes this coming Monday. I am VERY excited!! I have sincerely missed college and the intense learning atmosphere. If all goes as planned, I will be taking 3 classes on Tuesdays. It will make for a long Tuesday (9:30am-9:30pm - of course with a massive break inbetween) but I figure that I will be able to utilize that time to complete homework or catch up on other personal reading. Hey, I could even throw laundry in my car and do it in the 8hrs I have between classes! Initially, I wanted to go back full time but I needed to make sure I keep a healthy work/life balance between work, school and keeping an open enough schedule to spend time with P, too. Oh, and did I say for my personal sanity, too? Yep, that, too!
Aside from all of those shenanigans, some of P´s former colleagues and their wives were in town recently so we all went out to dinner. P and I also went out to dinner with his childhood best friend and his wife a few nights later. I was so happy that my work schedule aligned with those outings because it was so much fun to meet more of P´s friends and put faces to the names I regularly hear.
I am sure a lot more has happened lately but I am tired. I will post more soon! Until next time!
